
Angie: No Longer in the Shadows – Spreading Awareness About Metastatic Breast Cancer
— By Gina Rich
January 14, 2025
“The world came crashing down,” is how Angie* remembers the moment she learned she had metastatic breast cancer. It was February 2016. Angie, then 41 years old, had always been healthy. But after Angie experienced back and rib pain, her doctor ordered imaging.
When the CT scan showed lesions in Angie’s bones, the doctor immediately referred her to an oncologist. A few days later, a biopsy determined the lesions were due to breast cancer that had spread, a diagnosis called de novo metastatic breast cancer.
De novo metastatic breast cancer describes cases where breast cancer has already spread to other parts of the body at the initial diagnosis. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, approximately 6% of newly diagnosed U.S. breast cancer patients have de novo metastatic disease. Metastatic cancer is also referred to as Stage 4 cancer.
From Diagnosis to Treatment
Angie was stunned to hear her diagnosis, especially since she had no family history of breast cancer and had never felt a lump or mass in her breasts. Her most recent mammogram had been clear. Now her mind filled with questions about the future.
“My first thoughts were, ‘Am I going to die this year?’” says Angie, whose daughter was just a toddler at the time. Would Angie and her husband need to celebrate Christmas early? What about their daughter’s birthday?
Angie’s oncologist prescribed different medications to block and suppress the hormones that were fueling the cancer. Fortunately, Angie responded favorably to treatment. For almost seven years, her disease remained stable, with no signs of progression.
Finding – Then Giving – Support
Looking for support after her diagnosis, Angie connected with an online group for women diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. She found the group incredibly helpful, particularly in sharing experiences with treatment side effects. “They’re like family now. Because we all just get it; you don’t have to explain everything,” she says. “It’s just an immediate connection.”
In 2023, Angie was attending the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and happened to learn about ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis. She talked with Executive Director Ellen Friebert Schupper, who encouraged her to become a Mentor.
Angie was intrigued by the customized peer support ABCD provides. Though her support group was wonderful, she would have loved to connect with someone 1:1, especially right after her diagnosis. “It would have been so helpful,” she says. “But I had no idea that it existed.”
Emotional support is critical for breast cancer patients, especially those with metastatic disease, Angie has learned. She notices that many breast cancer support groups focus on curing the disease as an end goal. But with Stage 4 cancer, eradicating the disease isn’t possible; rather, the goal is to manage the cancer so it doesn’t cause problems.
The thought of incurable cancer is, understandably, frightening. “I think for the metastatic community, we’re kind of more in the shadows and not talked about as much,” Angie says.
Angie completed ABCD’s Mentor training in early 2024. “I really enjoyed it,” says Angie. As of December 2024, she has already been matched with 11 Participants, underscoring the need for support among metastatic patients.
The biggest emotion her Participants express is fear. “I remember that. I felt the same way,” Angie says. She tries to reassure them by sharing her perspectives. “In my group, a lot of us agree that the first year is the hardest, and that things do gradually get easier to manage.”
Not long after Angie completed ABCD’s Mentor training, her mother was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. Angie has been able to support her mom through treatment. “I’m sort of being a Mentor to my mom, helping her,” she says.
Living With Hope
With metastatic cancer, challenges are inevitable: A medication stops working, the disease spreads, or other complications arise. In 2024, due to a progression of her disease, Angie learned she would need radiation.
Angie tries to take a pragmatic approach to such news. “I can look back and say, okay, I’ve dealt with this for almost nine years. This is hopefully just a bump in the road,” she says.
Advancements in treatment also give Angie hope that she can continue to manage her disease. Her oncologist reminds her that there are many medicines they can try if needed. “My doctor helps me feel more positive,” Angie says.
Angie is grateful for the strong connections she’s found in the metastatic community. “I think it makes a world of difference to have somebody to talk to in your position,” she says.
Angie was diagnosed in 2016 with de novo metastatic breast cancer – bone. She has been on hormonal therapies and radiation since her diagnosis.
*Name has been changed.